Siwa Oasis: Salt Lake Floating, Desert Safari & Springs 3-Day Tour

4.98

(130 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

The first thing I remember is the silence—after hours of Cairo’s horns and chatter, it felt almost strange when our driver stopped the car somewhere near Siwa and rolled down the window. Just wind and a faint scent of dust. We’d left before sunrise (I barely tasted my hotel coffee), but by the time we reached Fatnas Island for sunset, everything was gold and soft. Our guide, Ahmed, kept pointing out little things—how the palms lean after a sandstorm, or which dates are sweetest right now. Dinner that night was simple but somehow perfect; I still think about that bread, warm from the fire.

Next morning was salt lake time—I’d seen photos but didn’t really believe you could float like that until I just… did. The water stung a bit at first (don’t shave your legs before you go!), but floating there with nothing but blue sky above was weirdly peaceful. Afterward we stopped at Cleopatra’s Spring for fresh juice; it’s busier than I expected, kids splashing everywhere, but Ahmed found us a quieter corner. The cold spring water felt like waking up twice.

I lost track of time during the desert safari—sandboarding is harder than it looks (my attempt ended in a very undignified tumble). The 4x4 bounced over dunes while our driver played old pop songs on his phone. At sunset we ate with some Bedouin families; they laughed at my Arabic but shared their tea anyway. Later, lying back to watch stars come out above the dunes… I don’t know how to describe it exactly, except that it made Cairo feel very far away.

The last day we wandered through Siwa’s old ruins and painted tombs—dusty stones under bare feet, lizards darting between shadows. Ahmed told stories about Alexander the Great at the Oracle Temple; he swears you can still feel something there if you close your eyes. Maybe he’s right. The drive back to Cairo felt longer somehow—or maybe I just wasn’t ready to leave yet.